Office Romance Tips
Office Life

Office Romance Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

It might be called an office romance, but romance does not belong in the office. We take a look at some do’s and don’ts to bear in mind if you’re dating a coworker.

So, you’ve fallen for a coworker. Now what? Should you, or shouldn’t you keep on fraternising with each other, or should you end it before it’s really begun?

Well, there are a number of do’s and don’ts to bear in mind if you’re dating a coworker. These are a few!

Don’t Break the Rules

Most companies have policies concerning relationships between coworkers. Make sure you know the details. Your company’s Human Resources department will know of any written policies.

Lots of organisations have a policy that forbids fraternization between colleagues. This could lead to you being fired on the spot if your relationship is discovered. Given that jobs are not easy to come by these days, you need to carefully consider just what it is that you are putting at risk. Is it worth it?

You need to be especially careful if you are dating your boss. In fact, some experts say that as soon as you fall in love with your boss, you should start looking for another job. If the relationship is going to last, one of you will have to leave anyway.

Don’t Date to Escape the Tedium

Let’s face it: work can be a tedious grind. In this kind of situation, it’s easy to get involved with a cube-mate as means of escaping the boredom of everyday sameness.

After all, you can probably relate to each other very well in the office because you go through the same things. This is when you’ve got to make sure that you’re both in the relationship for the right reasons, and not as a means of escape. You might be totally incompatible outside of the work environment. Don’t confuse common experiences with love.

Don’t Get Caught Out

It might be called an office romance, but romance does not belong in the office. Avoid public displays of affection, and spending too much time in each other’s work space. Also, don’t get caught making out in the storeroom.

A make-out session in a secret spot might sound thrilling, but it can be dangerous. At best, you could be caught by cleaning staff, but what if you’re caught by one of your colleagues or your boss?! If you get caught, it could be your job and your reputation that are on the line.

Do Tell Your Boss First

Make sure that your boss finds out about your relationship before they hear a rumour from coworkers. If you are ready for people to know about your relationship, make time to sit down with your boss for a serious conversation.

Tell them you and a coworker are dating, but leave out the monologue on your love life. Be brief and keep it as professional as possible. One thing to remember, though, is that once the news of your relationship is out, you can’t take it back. If you break up, remember that the entire office is going to know about it, giving plenty of opportunities to gossip about you behind your back.